Trigger Happy Urbie is Remanded to Prison

Urbie Alamilla

Tonight, thirty-five year old police constable Urbie Alamilla is on the other side of the law and on remand at the Belize Central Prison. This evening, he was denied bail for the offense of discharging a firearm in at Green Jade Restaurant located between miles eight and nine on the Phillip Goldson Highway on Saturday. Alamilla was sneakily escorted to court with officers walking him all the way from the corner of Regent Street with Treasury Lane. At two-forty five, his arraignment began in the presence of one of two attorneys, Anthony Sylvester. Since he was charged under the Crimes Control Act and because the offense is said to have occurred with his licensed firearm, bail was not an option so he is due back in court on August ninth, 2016. His other attorney, Dickie Bradley, later informed the court that he is applying for bail immediately; in fact, for a hearing as early as Wednesday. But Alamilla’s bail application is actually set for this Friday. When the charge was read to Alamilla, he pleaded not guilty. News Five has obtained footage of Saturday night’s incident which shows Alamilla securing a dangerous scene where a man was seen armed and acting violent before a shot was fired. Attorney Bradley believes that the charge will not hold up in court once the trial comes about.

Dickie Bradley

Dickie Bradley, Attorney

“Police has charged police officer Alamilla for discharging a firearm in public. When one looks at the law that is in the firearm act in relation to what has transpired, Mister Alamilla ought not to have been charged because there are many witnesses and there is a full video coverage of what transpired; how a person was being aggressive towards another person in the Green jade restaurant and then became aggressive with other persons, including the officer. And the officer is seen trying to calm him down, trying to talk to him. He goes outside the restaurant, based on the video footage, and returns with what the eyewitness claim was some weapon; an ice pick or something of that sort. And the officer is sworn to uphold the law and to protect other persons including to protect himself. And in this dangerous age that we are living in, I am actually surprised that that officer has been charged. The charge is that Police Officer Urbie Alamilla wantonly or without reasonable cause discharged a firearm in public. And that is not true; that is not the evidence that is available. It is an injustice to have charged him under the Firearms Act because that charge could have been brought under another act. And once you bring a charge under the Firearms Act, there is the unjust, grossly unfair requirement that any charge at all under the Firearm Act, the magistrate cannot give bail. So if you are required to display your firearm license and you don’t have it and the police charge you, you are going to go to jail. It is a stupid law that is on the law books.”

But police say that this is the second time in one week that Alamilla has discharged a firearm in public. As to the first incident, Bradley refused to comment. Now, Alamilla was only charged with one offense, but Sharmane Bainton claims that she was injured by fragments of the shot at Green Jade Restaurant even though the video does not show her inside the restaurant when the shot was fired.

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